“Although turnout was up, the results were pretty much the same as the last two cycles. There is a residual anti-Democratic vote in Worcester,” said Clark University political professor Robert Boatright. “Gaffney captured that vote, but although he tried out a number of issues that he might use against Petty, none of them seem to have resonated.”

Boatright elaborated on Gaffney’s approach.

“I thought his attacks were a little harsher and more personal than I’ve seen in other recent elections, but I doubt that being nicer would have helped much,” said Boatright.